Conflict: World War I

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"World War I caused change in North Dakota and the rest of the world. After the outbreak of war in Europe in 1914 the state was reluctant in having the United States enter the war. Whether it was because one-fifth of the state's population were German immigrants or not, many North Dakotans were isolationists, not wanting to be involved in someone else's war so far away. After the United States broke ties and declared war on Germany, the state rallied in support of the war effort. Many young men went to war, which left a shortage of farm laborers in the state which was promoting the planting of every possible acre in order to help feed the world during the war. Inflation was high and so were grain prices, but unfortunately, below average rainfall caused below average crop yields during the war years."

A tight-knit German community existed in North Dakota. This community consisted of/descended from German migrants from Russia. Russia had invited Germans to settle and introduce advanced farming methods to the area around the Volga in the 18th century; these Germans migrated to America when Russia began to decrease their autonomy and to assimilate them in the late 19th century. This community was the target of anti-German persecution throughout the war.

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